The 2022 Extension Competition for Graduate Students

AAEA Anaheim, CA July 31-August 2

The AAEA Extension Competition for Graduate Students provides an opportunity to develop and/or get feedback on programs that communicate research to extension (usually noneconomist) audiences. Entries can be based upon graduate student research for a thesis, dissertation or other academic work. The competition is sponsored by the Extension and Graduate Student Sections.

Note: This year, we will once again work with applicants who cannot or do not wish to attend the conference in person. The details below refer to our current plan and may change.

Who’s Eligible?

•      Graduate students currently engaged in topics related to agricultural economics, agribusiness, natural resources, and community resource economics as well as those who graduated from such programs in 2021 or later.

•      Participants must identify and work with a mentor with experience in outreach or extension activities.

The Application:

Applications should be addressed to Kate Fuller at kate.fuller@montana.edu and must include:

1. Student’s name, university, department, address and contact information.
2. Title of the extension program to be delivered.
3. A summary of the proposed/conducted extension program. This should include target audience, delivery plans, communication methods and activities planned for distributing the information to the public such as fact sheets, reports, web sites, spreadsheets, and presentations (4 page maximum). If the applicant was part of a team, the role of the applicant within the team must be made clear.
4. A one-page logic model* (new this year)
5. A profile of the applicant’s background and research (1 page maximum).
6. The mentor’s name and description of the mentor’s role in the project.

*Logic models can be used for planning a program as well as evaluation. Logic models are often linked with evaluation, so these two categories are combined in the scoring rubric (see following page). You can find many examples of logic models online, including:

https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/programdevelopment/logic-models/bibliography/

https://www.cdc.gov/tb/programs/evaluation/Logic_Model.html

https://www.extension.uidaho.edu/publishing/pdf/cis/cis1097.pdf

Criteria for Selecting Finalists
Finalists will be selected using the following rubric:
Points
All required information submitted                                       5
Target audience identification
Importance of problem                                                          10
Description of target audience and their
identification                                                                         10
Development of program
Outline of goals                                                                     10
Description of how the results address issue                        15
Summary of research to be communicated                           15
Presentation of program results                                            10
Project completion: Is the project purely
hypothetical (0pts), partially complete (partial score)
or delivered and evaluated (5 pts)?                                       5
Logic model for program/project and evaluation*              20
Total                                                                                    100

Finalists at AAEA

Finalists will be selected to make a 15-minute presentation at the AAEA meeting either virtually or in Anaheim, CA on Sunday July 31, 2022, to a panel of judges, who will then ask 5 minutes of questions. The competition will begin at 8AM PST. Selection of the finalists will be based on the material submitted and the criteria listed below. Finalists will be notified by June 5, 2022. The top three finalists are be expected to make presentations during an AAEA Extension track organized symposium if present in Anaheim or virtually.

Awards

Cash awards will be given to those judged to be the top three graduate students in this competition. Award funding is provided by the AAEA Extension Section through membership dues and via support provided by sponsors.

Awards are:

1. First Place: $1,000 and a plaque
2. Second Place: $300 and a certificate
3. Third Place: $200 and a certificate

Other finalists receive finalist certificates.

The top 3 competitors selected will be recognized at the AAEA Awards ceremony. All finalists will be provided tickets to the Extension Luncheon during the AAEA annual meetings. Submission Deadline: Midnight MST on Friday, May 13, 2022. Email entries to Dr. Kate Fuller, Competition Committee Chair at kate.fuller@montana.edu. Finalists will be notified by June 5, 2022.

AAEA GSS | 2020 Policy Communications Competition

Overview

In today’s market, there are numerous job opportunities for graduate students to enter positions in which they must effectively evaluate policy and communicate with policymakers and non-specialists about how certain issues influence stakeholders in food and agriculture. Communication must be brief, yet powerful, with proper objectivity and inclusion of timely and accurate information. Through this competition, graduate students will have the opportunity to gain experience in both written and verbal policy communication.

Objectives for Participants

• Evaluate a given relevant agricultural policy issue.
• Carefully construct rhetoric, both written and oral, to provide objective information needed by decision makers.

Participant Eligibility

Eligible applicants are:

• Graduate students with a graduation date of 2019 or later engaged in agricultural economics, agribusiness, natural resources, community resource economics, or a related field.

Competition Information

The first round of the competition will require participants to submit a typed policy briefing, not to exceed two pages (double spaced, 12-point font, including references, figures, and graphics). This document should summarize the background and current status of the issue, key facts (i.e. benefits and costs to different groups), findings, and conclusions. The job of the participant is not to convince the policymaker to take a certain position or vote a certain way, but rather to evaluate, gather and present the necessary information for the policymaker to make an informed decision regarding the issue.

The second round of the competition will require participants to provide a verbal presentation that accompanies the policy briefing, not to exceed 10 minutes in length. Within the presentation, the participant should go into more detail about the specificity of the policy issue as well as include more key facts and findings from outside research surrounding the policy issue. Overall, the presentation and written brief should complement each other and form a well-rounded effort in policy communication.

Timeline

• April 2020: Open registration for competition. Selected policy issue prompt sent to participants.
• Friday, May 15, 2020: Registration and policy briefing due.
• Sunday, July 26, 2020: Presentations at 2020 AAEA Annual Meeting in Kansas City.

Competition Application Information

Applications should be addressed to Logan Britton at logan.britton@okstate.edu and must include:

1. Student’s name, university, department, address, and contact information.
2. Policy briefing (2-page maximum).

Submission Deadline

Applications must be submitted electronically no later than midnight CST on May 15, 2020.

Finalists at AAEA

Finalists will be selected to make a 10-minute presentation at the AAEA meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday, July 26, 2020, to a panel of judges. The competition will begin at 8 a.m. Selection of the finalists will be based on the material submitted and criteria listed below. Finalists will be notified by June 1, 2020.

Criteria for Selecting Finalists and Winners

Criteria for judging finalists and winners will include:

1. Defines the problem, discusses feasibility of the policy ideas and steps, addresses a proper audience, background and supporting research, and addresses government failures or unintended consequences.
2. Integration of knowledge, persuasiveness of argument, and variety of sources.
3. Formal language, appropriate tone, grammar and mechanics, and logical organization of thoughts and ideas.
4. Proper format of policy briefing (proper headings, length no more than two pages, proper citation, ordered appearance)

Awards

The top three competitors selected will be recognized at the AAEA Awards Ceremony and the winner will receive a plaque at the awards ceremony.

Prompt

General Information:
Labor shortages have influenced the U.S. agriculture sector for several decades. Over the past 15 years, the number of U.S. farmworkers has declined by approximately 12 percent2. The U.S. agriculture sector and other industries within the economy have relied on undocumented workers to fill the labor gap1. Due to farm labor scarcity and high wage rates, unauthorized migration from Mexico has been incentivized3. Labor shortages still exist in the farm sector today because of stricter immigration policies and penalties. The H-2A program were created to meet the farm labor scarcity in the United States due to insufficient able and willing supply of local and domestic labor2. Through these programs, U.S. farmers can secure laborers and foreign workers can legally be employed in the United States1. Some farmers plant multiple crops each year to increase revenue and mitigate risk, which may extend beyond the 10-month window allowed through the H-2A program. This creates additional transaction costs for operations producing multiple crops than traditional operations5. Alternative programs to the H-2A have been developed for farm employees but have not successful in the long-run.

Policy Changes:
Suppose the U.S. Congress is introducing legislation to address the issue of labor shortage in the agriculture sector. The legislation includes programs that will modify the H-2A program. The H-AG program allows the same basic package; yet, employers must guarantee workers employment hours equal to at least 95 percent of the workdays in the contract period. This bill redefines agricultural workers to include those involved in livestock and dairy production. This program would allow guest workers employment with a specific employer for 15 months or less. After the H-AG visa expires three years from its issue date, the guest worker must leave the United States for at least 90 days.

What to Address:
With no more than two pages (single-spaced and 1 inch margins with a Serif font), evaluate the costs and benefits of the legislation being proposed by Congress. Does it correct a market failure? You should also address any potential government failures or unintended consequences. Policymakers are your audience when developing your paper. If selected to the second round of the competition, you will be asked to present this information to a panel of judges.

References:
Devadoss, S. and J. Luckstead. 2019. "Theme Overview: The Role of Guest Workers in U.S. Agriculture." Choices. Quarter 1. Available online: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/the-role-of-guest-workers-in-us-agriculture/theme-overview-the-role-of-guest-workers-in-us-agriculture

Bampasidou, M. and M.E. Salassi. 2019. "Trends in U.S. Farm Labor and H-2A Hired Labor: Policy and Related Issues." Choices. Quarter 1. Available online: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/the-role-of-guest-workers-in-us-agriculture/trends-in-us-farm-labor-and-h-2a-hired-labor-policy-and-related-issues

Luckstead, J. and S. Devadoss. 2019. "The Importance of H-2A Guest Workers in Agriculture." Choices. Quarter 1. Available online: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/the-role-of-guest-workers-in-us-agriculture/the-importance-of-h-2a-guest-workers-in-agriculture

Martin P. 2019. "The Role of the H-2A Program in California Agriculture." Choices. Quarter 1. Available online: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/the-role-of-guest-workers-in-us-agriculture/the-role-of-the-h-2a-program-in-california-agriculture

Osti, S., M. Bampasidou, and J.M. Fannin. 2019. "Labor-Intensive Multiple Cropping Systems and the H-2A Program: Evidence from the Crawfish Industry." Choices. Quarter 1. Available online: http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/the-role-of-guest-workers-in-us-agriculture/labor-intensive-multiple-cropping-systems-and-the-h-2a-program-evidence-from-the-crawfish-industry

2019 CAES Annual Meeting

SAVE THE DATE!

July 9-12, 2019 – Lord Elgin Hotel – Ottawa

The full Conference Flyer can be found Here.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
The CAES Program Committee is accepting submissions of abstracts for the Selected Paper program and proposals for Organized Sessions. See the Call for Submissions FLYER for details. The deadline for submissions is Midnight EST, Feb 25, 2019.

Selected Papers
Submissions on any aspect of agricultural or resource economics, including teaching, research and/or extension are encouraged.

Registration and Membership Requirements: Presenters must be members of the CAES and registered for the Annual Meeting by May 30, 2019. Each member may be the primary/presenting/contact author on up to two submitted abstracts, but there are no limits to co-authorship on other abstracts submitted by other individuals.

Submission Instructions: Papers should be original and not submitted elsewhere for presentation. Proposals must be submitted electronically using our online system. Please note that you will need to create a user ID before you can submit an abstract; in addition, your co-authors will also need to create a user ID if you would like to include them on the submission. When submitting, you will need to copy and paste your abstract as the system does not currently accept attachments. Abstracts should not exceed 1000 words in length. Please do not include author names or affiliations in the abstract.

Submissions should include the following sections: Title, Problem Statement, Objectives, Data and Methods, Results (or expected results) and Implications, and Description of why presentation will generate discussion at the meetings. Online System: http://editorialexpress.com/conference/CAES2019/ce/CAES2019/

Topic Areas: Please indicate the topic area that matches the paper's contribution most closely. This will determine who reviews the paper. 
-01 –Production economics and farm/ranch management 
-02 –Resource and environmental economics
-03 –Agri-marketing, demand and price analysis
-04 –Agribusiness 
-05 –Agricultural finance 
-06 –Quantitative and research methods 
-07 –International trade and development 
-08 –Consumer and household economics 
-09 –Food and agricultural policy
-10 –Community and regional economics  
-11 –Teaching and extension issues 
-12 –Agricultural industry organization 
-13 –Other 

Selection: Selection will be based on input from blind peer reviews. Authors will be advised on the status of their proposals by April30,2019. 

Contact: The CAES Program Chair for the 2019 Annual Meeting is Richard Vyn, University of Guelph–Ridgetown. Please direct all inquiries and correspondence to Richard at rvyn@uoguelph.ca

Organized Symposia Proposals
Organized sessions provide an opportunity to explore ideas that are relevant to the CAES and agricultural economics discipline. We are particularly interested in exploring novel formats, new ideas and broader engagement strategies. We welcome members to make the most of this opportunity.

Registration and Membership Requirements: Presenting authors must be members of CAES and registered for the Annual Meeting by May 30, 2019.

Proposal Instructions: Proposals must not exceed 1000 words and should be submitted as a PDF file with double spacing. Papers should be original and not submitted elsewhere for presentation. The format is open and may involve panel discussions of prepared questions, debates, round table meetings, or other formats. 

Proposals must include the following: Session Title; Description of the Topic(including why it will generate discussion),Description of the Session Format; List of Session Participants(including the role each will play in the session), List of Paper or Presentation Titles(including all authors and affiliations). How to Submit: Proposals should be emailed to CAES President, Brady Deaton, bdeaton@uoguelph.ca Please put "CAES 2019 Organized Session Proposal" in the subject line of the email. 

Selection: A committee headed by the CAES President will evaluate the proposals. Final selection of proposals will be based on a clearly worded rationale for their proposed organized symposium. Authors will be advised on the status of their proposal(s) by April 30, 2019. 

Contact: CAES President Brady Deaton, Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Guelph, bdeaton@uoguelph.ca

The 2019 Extension Competition for Graduate Students

AAEA Atlanta, GA July 21–23, 2019

The AAEA Extension Competition for Graduate Students provides incentives and opportunity to develop extension and outreach programs from their research for an extension (usually noneconomist) audience. Entries can be based upon the graduate student’s research for a thesis, dissertation or other academic work. The competition is sponsored jointly by the Extension and Graduate Student Sections.

Who’s Eligible?

•       Graduate students currently engaged in topics related to agricultural economics, agribusiness, natural resources, and community resource economics.

•       Those who graduated from such programs in 2018 or later.

•       Participants must identify and work with a mentor with experience in outreach or extension activities.

Competition Application Information

Applications should be addressed to Kate Fuller at kate.fuller@montana.edu and must include:

1. Student’s name, university, department, address and contact information.
2. Title of the extension program to be delivered.
3. A summary of the proposed extension program. This should include target audience, delivery plans, communication methods and activities planned for distributing the information to the public such as fact sheets, press releases, reports, web sites, spreadsheets, presentations and training activities (4 page maximum). If the applicant was part of a team, the role of the applicant within the team must be made clear.
4. A profile of the applicant’s background and research (1 page maximum).
5. The mentor’s name, address and description of the mentor’s role in assisting the student with this project.

Submission Deadline

Applications must be submitted electronically no later than midnight MST on May 31, 2019.

Finalists at AAEA

Finalists will be selected to make a 15-minute extension/outreach presentation at the AAEA meeting in Atlanta, GA on Sunday July 21, 2019, to a panel of judges, who will then ask 5 minutes of questions. The competition will begin at 8AM. Selection of the finalists will be based on the material submitted and the criteria listed below. Finalists will be notified by June 15, 2019. The top three finalists are be expected to make presentations during an AAEA Extension track organized symposium.

Criteria for Selecting Finalists

Criteria for judging finalists and winners will include:

1. Identification of a target audience.
1. An explanation of the issue/problem/opportunity being addressed
2. An explanation on how this target audience was identified
2. Development of an extension program for the target audience that includes:
1. An outline of the goals of the extension program, and a description of how the results will address the issue/problem/opportunity and benefit the target audience
2. A summary and explanation of the main elements of the research results to be included in the extension program.
3. A summary or explanation of the program in an extension report, or extension presentation, or other appropriate extension communication media.
3. An explanation of extension team development and responsibilities in terms of program development and delivery should be addressed, if appropriate.
4. Plans for evaluating the effectiveness of the extension program. 

Awards

Cash awards will be given to those judged to be the top three graduate students in this competition. Award funding is provided by the AAEA Extension Section through membership dues and via support provided by sponsors. Awards are:

•       First Place: $1,000 and a plaque

•       Second Place: $300 and a certificate

•       Third Place: $200 and a certificate

•       Other finalists receive finalist certificates

The top 3 competitors selected will be recognized at the AAEA Awards ceremony. All finalists will be provided tickets to the Extension Luncheon during the AAEA annual meetings.

Submit Entries to:

Dr. Kate Fuller

Competition Committee Chair

Department of Agricultural Economics
Montana State University
Email: kate.fuller@montana.edu